Daddy
by Unnoticed Bitch
Summary: Daddy had promised Bella that he would never let her go. How far would he go to fulfill his promise? Will this promise be a nightmare for Bella? Warning - Darkward.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter – 1**

**The Story So Far**

Edward Masen and Rosalie Hale were high school sweethearts. They were the most popular couple. They attended all the dances, parties, ceremonies together. They came from very rich families. They were unbroken. Or, at least, that was what they thought. They loved the fame they got. Edward Masen was the captain of their school's football team. Rosalie Hale was the head of their school's cheerleading team. She later joined a modelling firm. They threw killer parties. They were blessed, with money enough for more than one lifetime, with splendid looks, with fame…with everything. They planned on living together a few months after school and then get married. They did get married. It was a big, lavish wedding in the small town of Forks. Everyone in the town attended that wedding. It was also attended by many famous personalities. The marriage was a much talked about affair for months after their wedding. Everyone thought this was a match made in heavens. They were the perfect couple, people said, they would love each other forever.

Did love was mentioned in the above paragraph? No.

They had an intense marital spat after two years of their marriage.

The reason was that Rosalie wanted a baby, and Edward hated kids.

When Rosalie first knew she couldn't be a mother she was heartbroken. Edward had comforted her when she didn't come out of the depression. Then, Elizabeth, a friend of Rosalie, casually remarked one day that there were many kids out there without parents. This gave Rosalie an idea. She wanted to adopt.

Edward was not happy.

Not only because he hated kids – which he did, with a passion – but because he knew she would not be able to handle kids at a very young age. Edward would himself suck as a father. He didn't want snooty nosed brats in his house.

Rosalie wouldn't listen. She saw nothing but kids. She wanted a baby. She wanted many babies. That was her dream from the very beginning. She wanted a perfect family.

Their argument saw no end. Rosalie wanted a perfect little girl. Edward was adamant that no kids would enter the house, especially _girls_. Making a boy happy was an easier thing, at least. Give him a video game, and he would be the happiest creature in the world. But girls…bah! Nothing ever made sense about girls. They would be hysterical with joy one day and depressed as fuck the other.

The couple didn't divorce with each other either. They cared too much for the society, people…..

Now, of course, Rosalie had won the argument. Edward was glad for that, even after he was dead. That was one thing Rosalie had been right about, in her whole life. That didn't change the fact that Edward was _still _furious at her for treating Bella like a trash when she first came. He was enraged at himself, too. But he had corrected his mistakes, hadn't he? He was still paying for that.

Edward should have understood that when Rosalie said she wanted kids, she wanted a bunch of mini – me(s). She would pay for that, he would _make sure_ she would pay. She would have to pay for four things. 1) Treating Bella like a trash when she first came in their house, 2) Wanting to transform her into a mini Rosalie, 3)Taking her away from him, 4) Murdering him.

Yes, Rosalie was the one who murdered Edward, because she cheated with a dick named Emmett on him, and when Edward learned the fact and threatened to expose her, she murdered him.

Reputation mattered too much to her. Now, Rosalie lived with the bastard Emmett, her second daughter and mini – me Alice, and Bella.

Edward smirked. Rosalie didn't know that he lived with them, too.

The door opened, a tiny head peeked.

"Daddy, are you in there?" a voice asked in a whisper.

Edward was sitting in her bed. His heart swelled and gloated as he heard Bella's voice. She was peeking from the door, trying to squint in hope to see her daddy. Edward crossed his legs and crossed his hand behind his head. He didn't answer, wanting to play with her a bit. He rarely spoke, anyway. No one could see him without his wish. Only Bella could see him all the time, because their souls were tied. They were soul mates, meant to be together in every life.

Bella stepped in and closed the door. She tip - toed forward until she came near her bed – near him – and then gazed at him curiously.

Edward bit back a laugh at her antics. Why was she being so quiet? He too stared at her, trying to understand why she was staring at _him_ that way.

Bella tapped her index finger on her head and pretended to think. Edward was mesmerized at the innocent charms of the child.

"Mom says you are dead." She said at last, "But _here_ you are, with me. Why is she lying to me?"

Edward just smiled at her. He didn't answer.

Bella shook her head rapidly and bounced to sit down beside him. Edward immediately put his arm around her and gently kissed her head. This was his greeting to her.

Bella leaned up and kissed his jaw and then sat back down.

"Will you help me dress up for school tomorrow?" Bella chirped after a few seconds. Edward didn't answer; he just played with a strand of her hair and smiled gently. She took that as a yes.

"Will you run me a bath after I come home tomorrow?" Edward kissed her hair again.

"Will you help me with my homework?" Edward knew her game. She was trying to bug him so that he would reply. She was wrong. He wasn't bugged at all with her innocent mischiefs.

She needed a lesson, though. Edward's arm slid down from her shoulders to wrap it securely around her waist. Bella stiffened, already knowing she was trapped. Her heart pounded, Edward could hear it.

"Will – Will you…..sing me a lullaby?" Edward grasped her knee from his other hand and kissed her cheek.

Bella gulped. "Will you watch TV with….with me? Tomorrow?" Edward let go of her knee and grasped both her ankles in one hand. He wasn't smiling anymore, in order to scare her.

"Will you…" before she could speak anymore, Edward had grasped both her tiny wrists in his other hand. Bella shrieked this time. No one could hear her.

Bella hated to be tackled, or feel helpless. Last time she had tried to tease Edward, Edward had held her in the same position for at least 15 minutes, not long until she was begging for forgiveness. This time he was planning on blowing on her belly.

He released her ankles and lifted her top. Bella shrieked again, knowing full well what he was about to do. Edward shot her a scary, warning glance. Then, very casually, he blew on her belly. He did that once, twice, thrice…..many times.

Bella didn't scream. She knew she would get into more trouble if she disobeyed his command.

She did giggle, though. Edward glanced at her. Her face was red; tears were streaming down her face. Edward glared at her and arched his eyebrow, waiting for her apology.

"One last question," Bella gasped. Edward waited.

"Will you ever let me go?"

"Never." Edward murmured for the first time, kissing her trembling belly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Huge thanks to all of you for your lovely reviews. That is the highest I have got **_**ever**_**.**

**Now, for your queries, Bella is 10 years old currently. Edward was 21 when he got married. Quite young, no? Yep, Edward is really dead. We don't know Edward's feelings for Bella yet, whether it is only fatherly or something more. Well, they ARE soul mates, that is for sure.**

**I am not sure about updating soon. My family is not quite thrilled about me spending so much time on laptop, though I rarely listen to them, but still. And then, I really admire those authors who are able to post chapters on a fixed day, or date. I never knew how do they do it.**

**I have one more favour to ask for, PLEASE correct me whenever you spy a grammatical error in my story. I am desperately trying to right my English. It isn't my native language.**

**Chapter – 2**

**Memories **

Bella woke up the next morning with Edward's hand gently caressing her hair. Bella loved it. Bella loved the feeling of it. Edward was smiling tenderly, fondly at her. She rolled over and threw her hand over Edward's chest, wanting to go back to sleep. She was having a very pleasant dream.

_I buried my face in my Daddy's shoulder, in order to avoid the noise. I was in my Daddy's arms and Daddy was gently rocking me. Back and forth, to and fro. He rocked on his heels too. I knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to cheer me up._

_We were in a parade in the midst of the city. Mommy, mommy's best friend, my sister Alice….all of them had come. All three of them were some distance away from me and Daddy. Alice was in Mommy's arms. She was sleeping. Mommy's hand was holding her best friend's arm. I was supposed to call him Uncle Emmett. He was huge, with dimples on his cheeks even when he was not smiling. But he was smiling right now, looking up with an awed gaze. My mommy looked awed too, as did everyone else. A huge elephant was walking over that side of the barricade, and his trunk beat the drum with a thunderous bang. There were other elephants too, behind him. Some were blowing trumpet, and some were free. Tiny, sparkly bits of paper were floating all around in the air. People were hooting and clapping._

_I was hiding my face because I wasn't used to so much noise. It wasn't as if I didn't like it. I did, but I just wasn't used to it. Daddy was caressing my hair now and then, coaxing me to look up._

"_Just look up baby," he was murmuring, "You will love it…"_

_My arms were tightly wrapped around his neck in a chokehold. I just loved my Daddy's voice. It was deep and soft, as if it was meant only for me. He had started talking to me. He didn't remain angry with me as before. He had told me that he loved me, loved me more than Mommy, Alice, HIS mommy or anyone else. One year had gone by since I had come. I was seven years old._

_Daddy unlocked my arms from his neck with ease. I looked up at him. He was smiling down at me. A glittery paper had stuck between his neck and his shoulder._

_He pointed towards one of the free elephants. "Will you ride on that?" I looked in the direction towards which he was pointing. "Do you know that animal's name?"_

_I nodded, "Elephant." Daddy had told me I was very smart in English._

"_Will you draw it for me after we go home, Princess?"_

_I nodded again. I was very good at drawing too._

"_Ah, thank you! Now, will you ride on that elephant?"_

_I nodded hesitantly. Daddy smiled widely at me and then walked ahead, hollering to an officer to stop the elephant….._

The Daddy at that time and her Daddy _now_ were same, except that now Daddy devoted all his time to her. Yes, sometimes he vanished, but whenever he was there, he was with her. He didn't go to office with a tie, he didn't go to market, and he didn't sleep. And now Daddy looked a little _Trans – lu – cent_. He wasn't as Trans – lu – cent before.

Edward extricated himself from her without jostling her and now she was beside him, lying on her chest. He raised one eyebrow at her, wondering what she was thinking. Her beautiful eyes were now open, and she looked thoughtful.

Bella finally looked at her Daddy, and he seemed a little frustrated. Bella knew he wanted to know her thoughts this morning. So Bella told him, "You know, you think I don't notice. But I do. I have noticed the changes. You don't go to office anymore; you don't wear your boots or tie too. You don't sleep. You vanish sometimes, and then come out of mid – air. And you are trans – lu – cent too!"

Edward smirked at her. She had pronounced the word translucent with a great difficulty. And he was smirking also because he wanted her to know the truth as fast as she can. He was happy that she was figuring things out on her own. She wasn't stupid. All these years, Rosalie Hale had told her many times that Edward was dead, but she didn't believe her. She always retorted that he was very much alive and looked after her. Rosalie simply thought that the kid was nuts.

Bella had sat up while sharing her thoughts with an intense, passionate tone. She was staring at her smirking father with a troubled expression on her face.

Edward vanished in a sudden puff of smoke.

Bella was startled. "Daddy!" she whisper yelled, sounding disturbed and grim. Her face held an expression of loss. Now she would have to spend the morning on her own.

"I am dead…" Edward whispered in her ear, his breath was like cold, pure air beneath her ear. She shivered and turned around. Edward was smiling down at her, just behind her. Just his torso was in a normal, human shape. His thigh was faintly visible and then his knees and calves faded completely in the air. Bella was used to it.

"If you were dead, you wouldn't be here with me." Bella reminded him smugly. Edward shook his head. She still had to learn about ghosts and spirits.

~Daddy~

Bella painted a faint, silver line lastly and sighed with satisfaction. This would do.

Miss Catherine was a few steps away from her, talking to another classmate of hers. He had painted a red colored car.

"Miss Cathy! I am done!" Bella called.

"Just wait a minute, dear." Her teacher answered.

But she came after only a few seconds towards Bella. Bella happily showed her the painting she had made.

Catherine Lincoln held the sheet in her hands and studied it gravely for a few minutes as Bella waited on with exited anticipation. She was shocked.

The painting drawn by Bella was exquisite as usual. In the background, there was a wooden house and a few trees. In front of the house, a grave was drawn with _Edward Cullen_ scribbled in a clumsy handwriting on the gravestone. A faint, silvery and ghostly thing was emerging out of the grave, and its arms were spread out. The picture looked sinister in a strange sort of a way. _I will never let you go_….It was written at the bottom of the page.

The teacher gaped at Bella. Surely, it wasn't what she thinking it was. The child was smiling at the teacher casually.

"I – Isabella w – what is this?" she asked.

"He says he is dead, but I don't think so. If he were really dead, I wouldn't be able to see him, no? He told me this morning only that he was dead, after he had woken me up. I didn't want to hurt his feelings by not agreeing with him, so I drew this. I would show this to him, and he would be happy. So happy. Don't look so shocked, yes, he wakes me up every morning, dresses me, and helps me with my homework and drawings. Why do you think I am so good at it? Daddy helps me! But no one else can see him, or hear him, unless he wants them to see him. Do you want to see him? I will tell Daddy if you want! Daddy never denies me anything. And he also will never let me go….." This was the longest the teacher had heard Bella prattle. Bella was looking at her with a child – like pride.

Catherine Lincoln felt nauseated. She was sure the coffee she had drunk for breakfast in the morning would come out.

Bella, after observing Miss Cathy's ashen expression, leaned forward. Her child – like expression had changed into one of the wise, solemn and sympathetic expression. It was so strange. She looked like…..like she was an old woman.

"Hey, don't be afraid. My Daddy likes you. He wouldn't hurt you. He loves anyone who loves me." She whispered, reaching out and patting her teacher's right shoulder. The gesture should have been condescending, but it was knowing. Too knowing. Her wide eyes were full of sympathy.

Bella looked one hundred per cent serious.

~ Daddy ~

The teacher's hand was gripping the sheet. She was hurriedly searching for her mobile phone in her drawer. She hadn't returned the picture to Bella, telling her that she liked it so much that she would keep it, _until her father would come and take it from her_. This was a silly step, considering how scared she was feeling right now. Bella was sad to hear that she wouldn't get to show her drawing to her Daddy today, but she cheered right up and said that her Daddy would come to visit her _soon_.

Catherine didn't want to believe Bella even a little bit. She had seen kids having imaginary friends many times in her lifetime. She was a kindergarten teacher, she had experienced all this. And being an Aries woman, she didn't once believe in all that nonsense. She even thought that it was healthy for kids to have imaginary friends, because this increased their creativity and imagination. And Bella, being a Pieces kid, was supposed to be having the most vivid and vast imagination. And her father had died too, so it was perfectly normal to have her see him.

Okay, she was a _Linda Goodman_, the great astrologer's avid follower, alright. She had read her book _Sun Signs_ many times. And…it was written in that book that _whatever Pieces kids say, believe them. If they say that they were flying in a saucer with a man from Mars, believe them. It just might be so_.

Catherine had found her phone. She hurriedly searched for _Rosalie Hale_'s phone number. Yes! She found it.

She pressed _call_.

The phone rang three times followed by a beeping sound. Catherine thought that it was because of answering machine, but the beeping didn't stop. It's sound rang and rang, until Catherine's hair bristled.

She tried cutting the line, but to no avail. The sound didn't stop. It was as if no button on her phone worked. Each one of it was useless. The teacher whimpered in desperation. She didn't know what to do.

She was about to throw the phone when the beeping sound stopped suddenly. She stared at the screen gravely when she heard a faint whisper.

_I will see you soon_…..

Later that day, when Catherine was at her friend's house – she didn't want to be alone – she tried calling Rosalie Hale again, clutching her locket's pendant tightly. The pendant was of the Holy Cross. The recent incident had made her devout suddenly; she had never even looked at Church before.

She sighed with relief when no beeping sound follower after the Caller tune. She heard Rosalie's voice after a second's silence.

"Hello?" Rosalie called; her voice was such a treat to the ears.

"Miss Rosalie Hale? I am Catherine Lincoln, Bella's teacher. I need to talk to you about Bella."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi *waves*. I would like to apologize for the massive delay. I am so sorry, guys. Well, I **_**was**_** working on the plot, and a lot of interesting things are about to come. Interesting to me, that is, we'll see if you like them or hate them.**

**Your reviews blew me away. Thank you for loving Daddy. Some of you are confused about Edward's relationship with Bella. He is her stepfather for the time being.**

**I have a little confession to make. Daddy wasn't ready to come out for one to three weeks more, but that woman, **_**Mary Alice Brandon Cullen**_**, bugged me to death and he **_**had**_** to come out. Gosh! Here you go, woman, I give up! He is afraid of **_**all**_** of you because he says you might throw stones and eggs at him for hiding for this long. I assured him you won't. Forgive him this time? Pretty please?**

**Okay, I'll shut the fuck up and let you read it.**

**Chapter – 3**

**The Beginning of the End**

"So, this was what happened." Catherine Lincoln, Bella's teacher finished speaking.

Rosalie flipped her golden, corn – like locks behind her shoulder. If Catherine weren't so distracted by the events going on right now, she would surely have admired them. She'd always wanted golden locks, but her red hair looked ridiculous in blonde highlights. Gosh, she was sick of her shoulder length reddish mane. They never grew.

Rosalie shook her head and laughed lightly. Her laugh would have been enchanting, if it weren't so mocking.

"Miss Catherine, do you even realize how crazy you sound? My child drew a picture, and you start getting blank calls from ghosts?"

"The incidents that happened with me are very real." Catherine hissed, "And anyway, my experiences here do not matter here. My sole concern is Bella. Why has she started seeing her father? Why does she think that he exists? Not only that, he dresses her, helps her with her lessons, and – "

"So you _do_ believe in ghosts then. Tsk, Tsk Miss Lincoln, I expected better from you." Rosalie interrupted.

"Maybe your parenting skills are lacking here, _Ms Hale_. Maybe you do not take care of her well enough and that's why she needs someone to take care of her. Some psychological phenomena maybe involved here. You never know." She griped.

"Mind your tongue, Catherine Lincoln. Don't you know that a child fancies imaginary characters? And that girl has lost her father. She may have fancied him. Why the _heck_ are you questioning my parenting skills? I will not tolerate it." Rosalie lashed out, clenching her fist tightly. She looked tensed, ready to cross the table in between them and jump of the poor teacher.

_Damn, this woman is psychotic. No wonder Bella's situation is like this_. Cathy thought.

"Look," she said peaceably, "I don't want any catfights. Let's solve this matter maturely, like adults. Maybe we should consult a child psychologist for –"

Abruptly Rosalie stood up, pushing her chair back. Its sound echoed throughout the empty classroom. "I don't want any psychologists for Isabella. My child is not mad, neither my parenting skills are bad. No one has ever said that to me. Alice's playschool teacher says the opposite. And, as for Bella's situation, _I will make sure this won't happen again_." Her face was cold when she was saying all this, but the last part was uttered with such hostility that Cathy was shocked. She knew telling Rosalie was a big mistake on her part, and now she was worried about Bella's safety.

When Rosalie reached the door, she turned around and said with a sneer, "You are not so mature yourself. Getting blank calls from ghosts? Consult a psychologist and go to the _asylum_." She slammed the door shut.

_Wow. Rub it on my face, why don't ya?_

~Daddy~

Rosalie drove the car with rage. Bella had _so_ embarrassed her, and now she would surely pay for it. Even though she was sure that the mouse named Catherine wouldn't open her mouth, but still, she had a reputation. If this incident – Bella's insanity – would spread, her reputation would be sabotaged. Her parenting skills would be questioned. Her name would be spoiled. This would put an end to her buttery smooth life.

She lived happily with her boyfriend Emmett, and her baby Alice. People admired her, men swooned at the sight of her, her salary was thick, and Emmett's carrier as a football player was developing by leaps and bounds. Of course, there was one minor trouble in the past…..but she had effectively gotten rid of it, without a speck of speculation from others. Now, this Bella, who had always remained in shadows, was giving her trouble, and she needed to stop it immediately. Why, that rat had directly attacked her reputation, the thing that was most precious to her.

Damn, she should have accepted Esme's offer of taking care of Bella. Esme was Edward, her dead husband's mother. Edward had cautioned Esme that Rosalie didn't like Bella that much, and when he died, Esme came with the offer.

That offer enraged her, because Esme's exact words were, "I am not sure you are capable of handling kids at this age." She hated it when people said that. Edward had said it to her, and after that Esme, and now this teacher…

So, she had yelled at Esme and warned her not to set a foot on her threshold ever again. Of course, that woman still met her grandkids once in a few months, but outside her home, in a mall or amusement park. Both the families lived in Forks, but far away from each other.

The car screeched to a stop in front of her house, leaving a huge swirl of dust behind it. She got out and slammed the door shut. Her eyes were narrowed in slits. She marched towards the house, determined to handle the situation.

"Bella!" she screeched as soon as she entered her house. "_Isabella Cullen_! Get your ass over _here_!" She was thankful that Emmett had taken Alice out of the house, to some park.

No reply came. Rosalie growled, furious, and half ran up the flight of stairs, towards Bella's room.

The door was shut. She kicked it open as soon as she reached her room. There, on the small bed, Bella was cowering at the edge of her bed, grasping a dusty teddy tightly. Her eyes were wide and terrified.

Rosalie took no time in lunging at her. She grabbed her forearm and pulled at it harshly.

"Ow! No, daddy – "

"Shut UP! There is no daddy, you getting me? You will _stop_ embarrassing me in front of your teachers, little brat!"

"Momma, you're hurting me, OW!" she howled in pain as Rosalie squeezed it harder.

"Momma, stop it. Daddy won't be pleased." She said tearfully.

"HE IS DEAD! Your daddy is _dead_! He is not coming back, you filthy rat!"

"HE IS NOT!"

"You won't obey me, will you?" she sneered, releasing Bella. "So be it, then. You will remain _locked_ in this room and you won't be getting any dinner. Yes, you will remain hungry the whole night, while Emmett, I and Alice would enjoy spaghetti. Get away!"

She pushed Bella and stomped out, shutting the door behind her. Bella picked herself from the floor and began knocking it with her little fists.

"No, momma!" she sobbed, "Open the door! I am hungry! _Momma_!"

The door was unmovable.

Bella dropped herself on the floor, covered her face and started sobbing, too startled to really cry.

A cold, ghostly hand grasped her shoulder. She looked up. Her eyes were tearful. Snot was running down her nose.

Green eyes met the large, brown ones. Her tiny arms swiftly wrapped around Edward's neck and she started sobbing.

"Da – daddy…" she hiccupped, "…I am hu – hungry."

Edward tenderly rubbed her back and kissed her hair.

"I'm so sorry, child, so sorry." He whispered.

Bella relaxed as soon as she heard him speak.

"You want spaghetti? I will get you some, along with ice cream. Would that be okay, sweetheart?"

Bella nodded against his shoulder, "Mango juice, too"

Edward chuckled, "Alright, ma'am, juice too."

He grasped her shoulders and looked at her tear strained face. She was biting her thumb. He smiled and released her thumb from her mouth. After wiping her tears with his thumb, he blew over her face, making her giggle. This always worked.

He took her soft hands in his and saw the distinct impression of nails on her forearm. The scar was going red. He bit back a snarl and clenched his fist. The rage that he had been holding on almost broke through his carefully controlled expression. He couldn't wait to _kill_ Rosalie fucking Hale. This time, no one would save her.

~Daddy~

Rosalie slept with a smile on her face. The evening was almost dreamy. Emmett had come back along with Alice and they had enjoyed a picnic in the backyard.

She turned over anxiously, as a nagging sensation ran under her belly. She wanted to marry Emmett, and he hadn't proposed yet. Did he not love her? Why hadn't he asked her by now? Was he worried that she would kill him too? She snorted at that.

Well, she didn't like to wait. _She_ would propose him for marriage if he wouldn't. He would have to say yes. He claimed that he loved her, now he would have to prove it. They would marry and move to Seattle with Alice. She would give that dirt bag Bella to Esme, under the excuse that Bella didn't want to leave her school in Forks. Esme would never say no. She didn't get rid of Bella earlier because, well, that would have raised suspicions. Carlisle and Esme were aware of the fact that she disliked Bella, so if she would have readily accepted Esme's offer, without so much a flinch, then the couple would have speculated on her. (She had ego issues too).

They would live happily ever after.

.

.

.

She felt cold. Her quilt wasn't on her body.

"Godammit." She moaned and snatched it from beside her. When she was properly wrapped, she dozed off again.

.

.

.

Something cold wrapped itself around her left foot and pulled at it, harshly.

"GODAMMIT!" she shrieked, and the…the cold thing kept on dragging her until her ass hit the floor with a loud thud.

"FU – FUCK! _Help me_!" her voice cracked. Her foot was released.

"Oh, Gosh! Oh my _Gosh_!" she chanted, her voice hoarse. She picked herself from the floor and stumbled towards her bed.

"What was it?" she whimpered, "I need to call Emmett!"

She reached out to search for her phone across the pillows. She found it and picked it up. Her hands felt clammy.

She flicked the light switch on and opened the pattern lock. After swiftly searching for Emmett in the call log, she pressed the green telephone symbol.

Suddenly, the sheet on which she slept was around her shoulders, strangling her.

"Oh Lord! HELP ME!" the sheet tightened, and her vision blurred. "Who…is it?" She choked out.

The sheet released her, and she fell on the floor, coughing and crying. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed that her phone's screen was cracked. But it didn't register in her mind. She was much too startled.

And then…and then she noticed that her room's white wall wasn't white anymore.

A message was written in red…loud and clear.

_DESTRUCTION AWAITS YOU._

~Daddy~

**The next chapters will be focussing on why Rosalie hates Bella, how Alice came along and much more! Stay tuned and leave me a review **


	4. Chapter 4

**For my apology for a long delay, I'll be posting the next chapter this week only.**

**Thank you for your love, they made my day.**

**Mary Alice Brandon Cullen, apologies. The next chapter would be posted this week, okay?**

**Here you go.**

**Chapter – 4**

**Promise**

"Thank you so much for doing this." Rosalie thanked fervently, with a miserable smile on her face. She had no right to ask her neighbours – the Parkers - for help, because _she_ had never helped them at the time of need. When they had asked her to babysit their little Jimmy for one night – they had to attend someone in hospital – Rosalie had spitefully refused, saying she wasn't taking care of any A or B or C's kid. She herself had enough to worry about.

"Well," Siobhan Parker said, quite tauntingly, "I have always believed in 'love thy neighbour as thyself' principle."

"Siobhan!" his spouse, Carmen grasped his forearm in warning, conveying him with her eyes to be polite. They were standing on the threshold of their house; Rosalie was in front of them.

"Just telling the truth, honey." This offensive piece of shit was incorrigible today, Rosalie thought.

"Can you please hold it? The lady obviously looks in trouble." Carmen said, handing Rosalie her phone. "Here ma'am, use my phone."

Carmen, who was six months pregnant, frowned at Rosalie Hale in concern. The always dressed to the nines Rosalie was in a startling condition today. Not only did she look dishevelled as shit, her lips trembled and eyes looked bloodshot too. What the hell happened during the course of the night? What was she doing here at 6 in the morning, asking, no _begging_ for phone in a miserable voice? She explained she needed to urgently call someone, and her own phone had crashed.

Rosalie snatched the phone from the freak's hand, who was looking at her so dubiously. She had sniffed something was up.

"Is everything okay, ma'am? You look wrecked." She observed.

"Yeah, I…" ugh! Nosy neighbours. She was saved my little Jimmy whining a little in sleep. Carmen hushed him by rocking him back and forth. Honestly, Rosalie thought, why did the whole family come to open the door? What an idiocy.

She swiftly dialled Emmett's number and turned her back away from the baffled family. He picked after 6 or 7 rings. The monster must be sleeping.

"Hello?" he greeted her groggily.

"Emmett!" she hissed, "Do you have _any_ idea what I went through overnight?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, babe? Did the kiddos give you trouble?" Emmett over there was still half asleep, quite used to Rosalie calling at odd hours and complaining about shits here and there. She was a high maintenance, and Emmett had gracefully accepted that fact about her.

"No, jerk!" he was used to profanities too, "I was dragged on the floor by something cold and _invisible_ in the mid of the night! That thing tried to choke me too!" she was trying to keep her voice low, but that guy wasn't making it easy.

She could hear him chortling. "What? That really is weird, babe. Let me come over there and drive you to the lunatic asylum."

"_Emmett_!" she screamed, not giving a toss about the spying family behind her, "How dare you talk to me that way?! You think I'm lying?"

She heard him sigh, that condescending bastard.

"I'm getting really tired of this shit, Rose. What the fuck are you rambling about? And whose number is this? Did you change your number?"

She took a deep breath.

Emmett frowned. He hated these 'pauses'. It meant she was 'allowing' him to finish.

"Rose –"

"Look." She interrupted him, her voice cracking, "My car is broken. Someone broke my car! That garage was locked; I can't believe it, Em! I'm freaking out! My phone is broken too, though that is my fault. I dropped it in panic."

"_What_?" he was suddenly alert. "I'm coming as fast as I can, Rosie. I'm wearing my shirt."

"Please come fast, Em." She bit back a sob. "I'm so scared."

"Babe, what about kids? Did something – "

"Yeah, Em. I checked on Alice. She was sleeping peacefully. I carried her downstairs and kept her on the couch. If I would've carried her here, then the neighbours would've started making assumptions, and – "

"Here?"

"Yeah, I'm calling from the Parkers' phone."

"Do you feel the need to call the 911?"

"I – it is so strange Emmett. I want you to have a look at it first."

"Sure, Rose. I'm on my way to my car. I'm locking my door as we speak."

"Be quick, Em. Be quick."

"Did you, uh…did you check on Isabella?"

Rosalie hissed. "Not yet."

"Babe," he said soothingly, "You need to check on her. If something happens to her…you are gonna be in big trouble."

"I'll make some excuse, Emmett." She said scathingly, "It is not likely that her throat would have _my_ fingerprints on her throat, coz I didn't commit any crime, except for not checking up on her. If I say I panicked and forgot about her, or was about to get her, the cops would believe me. Unless _you_ put your big butt in and tell 'em the truth."

What was she rambling about? Sometimes, he wondered what he had gotten himself into. Just sometimes.

"Rosalie, please go to her room and check up on her. It is my request."

Rose was about to protest when she heard that couple talking about her from behind.

"How much time is she gonna take? It is not as if she'll pay us." It was Siobhan.

"_Fine_!" Rosalie gave up, "I'm gonna go check up on her, if it makes you so happy. Do you realize you sound like you are more concerned about _her_ than me?"

"Rose – "

She hung up.

"Here, take your phone." She turned around and returned the phone. "Thanks a lot."

She turned on her heels towards her haunted house, feeling a bit relaxed after talking to Emmett. She was not gonna pay to her neighbours. Not because she was pissed at them and all, but because of the guilt that Carmen would face if she did. Carmen would probably return the money, so why waste time?

~Daddy~

"Wake up, child." Edward crooned in Bella's ears, unknowingly pushing her deeper in her world of dreams.

He smiled when she didn't move, and blew in her ear. "_Bella_…." He whispered with reverence. Just taking her name provided him such pleasure. It was a pleasure which had no name, it engulfed him, completed him. It soothed an ache in his soul; in his _being_…she was the feel of the cold water in a parched throat. She was like a warm afternoon in a cold, chilly day. She was his home, his heart, his everything.

Bella's heart had always recognized him from the very beginning. He still remembered the day when she had smiled hesitantly at him and said, 'hi'.

He gritted his teeth as a huge wave of guilt and pain hit him. He loathed himself for not recognizing his twin soul earlier. She was his other half, she completed him, and he couldn't stop mulling over the petty fact that Rosalie had won the argument and brought home a kid. He was such an ass. He took all his vindictiveness out on Bella. Now Bella's pain of that time was hurting him more than ever, even though Bella was way past that time.

Here he thought not being a human would stop human feelings in him, but those feelings seemed intensified now that he was a ghost.

Maybe, maybe it was because he _was_ a ghost. It made sense…he was a ghost, he was the past. He was still hung over and extremely attached to feelings from the bygone days.

His love for his daughter, the pain and guilt for being cruel on her, wrath at Rosalie…he had died with all these feelings in his heart.

These feelings would stay with him for the rest of the eternity.

Little fingers wrapped around his index finger.

"Daddy?" his heart whispered.

"Are you upset with me?" sleepy eyes blinked at him. They stared at him with a startling sober expression for a child.

It took him a while to process what she had asked. What did she mean by it? He stared questionably at her.

"You looked like you were in pain." Ah, his prior musings were visible on his face. He smiled at Bella, reassuring her without words, picked her small body ignoring a startled 'Hey!' and placed her on his chest.

She rested her head on his chest for a while before raising it at him and pouting at him.

"I don't feel like going to school today."

He shook his head reprovingly at her, "You'll have to go."

Her eyes watered but she said nothing. She buried her face in his chest.

Edward felt remorse. His child had gone through a lot the night before…she needed mental rest and emotional care.

But today was an important day.

"Bella." He murmured in her ear, "Today is an important day. That teacher of yours, Catherine, is gonna ask you a few questions today. You'll answer her honestly. Okay, baby? If you do that for me…then I promise you can skip school tomorrow."

This was probably the longest he had spoken. Bella was ecstatic.

"Promise, daddy?"

"I promise, sweetheart."

"Do you love me?"

He kissed her head top, "More than my own life."

~Daddy~


End file.
